Rising Gun Crime Vexes de Blasio

Mayor says New York is safer, despite a rise in gun-related crime

With shootings and homicides on the rise, Mayor Bill de Blasio called an impromptu news conference Tuesday to declare that the city is safer overall and that he has made improvements to the New York Police Department.

The mayor was responding to unwelcome news that emerged late Monday: Police officials said they are struggling with violence, citing a year-over-year 8.9% increase in shootings through May and a 19.5% rise in murders, from 113 to 135.